Military intelligence arrests four suspected drug dealers

NEWSROOM — The Directorate General of Intelligence and Security in Iraq announced Thursday the arrest of four individuals labeled as “dangerous” drug dealers in the governorates of Najaf and Diwaniyah.

According to a statement from the directorate, these arrests were made possible by “diligent field monitoring of organized crime gangs and drug traffickers, and utilizing precise intelligence information.” The operation, carried out by the Directorate General of Intelligence and Security under the Ministry of Defense, led to the capture of these suspects under judicial warrants issued in accordance with Article 28 of the Narcotics Law.

The Anti-Narcotics Directorate also highlighted a significant crackdown on drug-related crimes, noting that in 2024 alone, it has apprehended 6,000 suspects and confiscated 10 tons of various drugs.

Severe penalties for drug trafficking in Iraq include long prison sentences and, in extreme cases, the death penalty. Recent judicial actions include the sentencing by the Central Criminal Court in Baghdad of seven individuals, one of whom is a foreign national, to death for drug importation and exportation. Additionally, the Babil Criminal Court has sentenced a drug dealer to life imprisonment after he was found in possession of crystal meth and other narcotics intended for sale.

In the previous year, Iraqi authorities arrested 144 international drug traffickers, resulting in the seizure of four tons of narcotics, 15 tons of psychotropic substances, 1,700 firearms, and 1,200 vehicles.

Karim Al-Mohammedi, head of the Security and Defense Committee in the Iraqi Parliament, has expressed concern over the surge in organized crimes, including drug trafficking. Al-Mohammedi urged security and intelligence agencies to intensify their efforts to tackle the rise in organized crime and combat drug trafficking mafias, which he described as threats as severe as terrorism.